First Day Back
by GatorGrad95
Summary: My take on what the first episode of S3 should be like. It's my first fanfic so I'm interested to see what you think.
1. Chapter 1

First day back… she'd been dreaming and dreading this day for weeks. That big red circle on the calendar that she couldn't wait to arrive, but yet knew would be one of the toughest days of her life.

She loved being a cop, and she was good at it… at least…she was good at it…with him. She'd only done it without him once… her first day. Of course she thought she'd pulled off a huge takedown… catching a shooting suspect and bringing him in single-handedly. But in fact, she'd screwed up royally… hauling in an undercover cop and essentially blowing his cover. Every day since then… two years on the job… she'd done good… but she always had him to back her up…pushing, teaching, lecturing and patting her on the back for a job well done.

That was then, this is now. They would never be partners again. That much she knew. That night in January took care of that. Sam's kidnapping and torture made their relationship public knowledge around 15. Sure everyone knew it was only a matter of time. They'd seen the looks, heard the arguments, felt the tension but most figured they were both too stubborn to really do anything about it. But they did…but finally getting the man she wanted left her without the only partner she ever wanted to ride with.

The locker room was electric… everyone was excited to have her back. But Parade was a different story. She could feel the tension and couldn't will herself to make eye contact with anyone but Traci. She was partnered with Shaw. That wouldn't be so bad…after all he was her original T.O. Maybe it was a sign, a new beginning. Best welcomed them both back… not speeches, no pomp and circumstance… just "welcome back, serve and protect, stay safe."

The afternoon started quiet. A few disturbance calls that turned out to be nothing…a pick pocket downtown… nothing too challenging. Oliver kept things light… asking about my new place… telling me it was good having me back… asking about my dad… it felt almost as if I hadn't missed a day.

Then we got the call. A man was holding his family at gunpoint in an apartment downtown. 3 units were called for backup. We were only 4 blocks away so we lit it up and raced to the scene. The other units arrived at the same time. We quickly got out and headed over to get our orders. That's when I saw him. He was in charge…of course he was. First day back and already he was back on cop mode… assessing the situation…calm… like he never missed a day.

"Where do you need us Sammy?" Oliver asked

"We haven't been able to establish any kind of contact. He won't answer the phone." I need you and McNally one floor up, on the fifth waiting for my cue. Peck and Epstein will head up the fire escape."

And with that, the awkward moment I was dreading never happened. I was McNally, a fellow cop arriving on the scene. No eye contact, no contact at all… just business. I have to admit, it stung a little, but in a way it was nice. I wanted to get back to work… I wanted everyone to know I could still do the job… and so did he.

Oliver and I headed up the stairs. It was quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary. But, as we got closer, I could hear the voices and the cries. I radioed in that there were children involved. My heart was racing, but I was calm, ready. Two hours in and still no contact. Everyone was getting tired, and starting to wonder if this thing was going to end peacefully. Then, as if on cue, the man yelled out his window. He wanted to talk… but not on the phone… in person.

"McNally?" came his voice on the radio. There it was. Our first direct communication. It took me a second to handle the gravity of it. But I responded, "Yes sir?"

"Knock on the door, have your gun holstered, but ready… Shaw back her up."

"Copy."

I knocked and the man opened the door. He was large, about six-feet, older, in his 40's and sweating. He had a gun. His family was huddled in the corner of the room. From what I could tell, his wife and three little girls. I tried to stay calm. I asked him what was wrong, what he needed and what I could do to help. He started yelling, waving the gun so I backed off a little and tried to take it slow. There was chatter on the radio, so I turned it off. I could almost hear him cursing me down below for cutting off contact with him. I hear him over Oliver's radio asking what was going on. I could hear the tension in his voice. Luckily Oliver reassured him that I had things under control.

The man and I started talking. He started to relax a little… but he never let go of the gun. 20 minutes in I got him to let the girls go. They weren't eager to leave their mother behind, but Oliver got them to come out of the apartment. They man was having money problems. He felt like the world was crashing down on him. He told me his family would be better off without him… but he couldn't imagine going without them. We talked some more and finally he decided to get help. We were both exhausted. His wife got up and ran out… he dropped his arms and went to place the gun on the table. As he did, it went off, firing a shot out the window. The man started screaming… I did a quick check to make sure it didn't hit me. Oliver ran in, asking if I was okay… and then as if on cue… he appeared in the doorway. His eyes were searching… frantic… concerned. I locked in on them and said, "it's okay. I'm alright." He nodded looking at me, through me to make sure I was really okay.

We wrapped things up at the scene… headed back to the station… filled out paperwork and went to the locker room to call it a day. I recapped everything with Traci. She looked at me and said, "It's good having you back Andy. We really missed you around here." I said, "Thanks, I missed it too."

She offered me a ride, but after the events of the day, I needed to walk….needed to clear my head and reflect on my first day back. It was only 6 blocks to my condo. The air was warm with a slight breeze. By the time I got to the building, my mind was clear but my legs were tired. As I got to my door, I turned the key, already thinking about the hot shower and cold beer that waited for me on the other side. I walked in, shut the door, turned…and there he was… in the middle of my living room…waiting.

He walked to me, rested his hands on the door, cornering me with his arms and asked, "So, how was your day?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

She wasn't exactly surprised to see him waiting for her. If she really admitted it, she gave him a key two weeks ago just hoping for days like this. Days when she needed help getting over nights like tonight. She didn't respond right away… but she instantly felt safe. This had to be what Traci and Oliver meant when they talked about 'having someone to come home to." It did make a difference. Somehow everything, the job, the stress, the danger, it all seemed worth it. She never got it with Luke, but now, standing here in her living room, looking at him, it just felt right.

"Normal" was the first response that came to her mind.

"Normal? You call having a gun fired at your girlfriend normal? That's not the 'normal' I had in mind." There was tension in Sam's voice…not anger, but concern.

Andy slipped out from under his arms and made her way to the kitchen. She dropped her bag on the floor, walked to the fridge and pulled out two beers. This may take a while. "We talked about this. I'm not your girlfriend when I'm on the job. Heck, I'm not even your partner. I'm just another copper from 15."

He stood, looking at her from across the bar, shaking his head. Man, could she frustrate the hell out of him, but he was willing to put up with it because it was so much better than sitting at home alone wondering what she was doing when she wasn't with him.

"I know we said that and I was just fine with that agreement. In fact I think I was doing a pretty damn good job… until I heard the gun go off with you in the room and no radio contact…which by the way, was not cool."

Andy walked back into the room…handed him the beer and continued. "Sorry but the man was freaking out." Sam sat down on the couch but Andy walked right past him and into the bedroom. He had this puzzled look on his face as if he wasn't quite sure if she was going to return. She changed into a t-shirt and yoga pants and picked up where she left off as she returned to the room. He should know better. Andy McNally never just let things go. She continued, "The last thing I needed was cops talking back and forth on the radio. Besides, Oliver was right outside the door."

"McNally…"

And with that, she'd had enough. After all, this 'bringing the job home with you' was precisely the reason why it took them two years to get to this point. She walked over, grabbed his beer, put it down on the table and straddled his lap, never breaking eye contact. "Remember that agreement?"

"Yeah…" he responded, not sure of where she was taking this.

"Well if we keep talking about work, then then I'm going to remain McNally (she mocked his tone in his use of her last name) your very-capable (she added with a smirk) co-worker and you will remain my bad ass former T.O. who can't just admit that I did a great job today saving that guy and his family."

"But," she leaned in for emphasis, stopping just short of his lips, "if you drop it, then I can be Andy, your incredibly hot girlfriend…" she paused, then leaned in to whisper in his ear, lightly grazing the lobe, "who is just about to take a long hot shower…" then she moved to the other ear, whispering, teasing, "and slide into her nice warm bed…..naked."

And just like that the conversation was over. Sam sat there, mouth open, silent, stunned. His first thought was, he was an idiot. How many times did he climb into his truck after one of their shifts together, just wishing they were heading home together for a moment like this, and instead of lying in bed enjoying every inch of her and making up for lost time, he was talking about work. No wonder she almost married Callahan. I'll bet he didn't spend time at the fishing cabin talking about some stupid case.

Andy couldn't quite read his expression, but just then he looked up at her. She recognized that look. It was the same one he gave her the night she followed him to his cover apartment…when she so politely refused his offer of a cab back to the station.

She knew he wasn't leaving, but she couldn't refuse one more jab. She stopped just short of his lips, and whispered, "Now who's overthinking?"


End file.
